It says +3% food effect duration, so I'm thinking that means say the 200% health regen buff lasts 3% longer, which is only 3-4 seconds sure, but it doesn't actually give me those seconds, still just a flat 2 minutes, have I chosen an aptitude that does literally nothing? 

All of them do nothing that changes the game apart from 1. But as this is the non spoiler thread I can’t say which. 
 

But I can give you a clue. 
 

Clue. ***Spoiler Alert*** Stop reading. 
Speech check on the first person. I couldn’t work out why my start was different to the streamers I’ve watched. It’s that profession that changes it. Nothing drastic. But I never got to do something and I couldn’t workout why until I tested the start again. And it was that. Subtle, but amusing. 

Then they probably shouldn't say that give +3% duration if it doesn't. They all say they give stats or give bonus and your telling me they don't? So why did they make it say they give bonuses if they give nothing, pretty stupid game design right there